Meant To Be
by no dang name is available
Summary: "I have nothing else to vent out, Ogiwara-kun. I'm tired. I'm tired of this bullshit that the asshole that I'm still madly in love with left me in. I don't want to be pathetic anymore. I don't want to keep living like this, sad and bitter, for the rest of my goddamned life!" Akashi leaves Kuroko without an explanation. AkaKuro, OgiKuro. Fair Warning: ANGST. Lots of it.


**Author's Note**: Free time = writing fics... Life = none. X_X Ugh. I have to take the SATs tomorrow. Someone kill me now, please.

* * *

_How long has it been?_ Kuroko thought while he tapped a pen against the desk. Resting his chin on his palm, he lazily eyed the stack of papers he knew he had to grade for his students. Not that it required much thought to grade drawings about the most important things of a five year old, but the task was taxing in its own way. He vaguely thought about what he was going to cook himself for dinner before he decided that he was going to eat out for a change.

_Yeah, I guess it's been about two or three months since I've last treated myself out to dinner_. That was because the salary of a pre-school teacher was barely enough for him to make ends meet. _A break once in a while couldn't hurt_.

He smiled as he leafed through the drawings, most of which were absolutely adorable. _I'm hungry... __I guess I can finish this later. _Pushing his chair away from the desk, he reached his arms up and stretched his back, feeling it pop at the right places, before getting up and grabbing his coat.

It was a short walk from the pre-school to Kuroko's favorite restaurant. He enjoyed the way the brisk autumn air bit at his unprotected cheeks, it reminded him of _his _hands. They'd always been cold. Even on the hottest days of summer, _his_ hands were cool to the touch. And the sharp contrast between Kuroko's warm cheeks and the cool palms delighted his senses.

"I wonder where you are now," Kuroko looked up at the setting sky, hoping that wherever _he _was, he'd be looking at the same beautiful sun. The red glowing circle made the sky turn an amber gold. If only Kuroko had a camera, he'd have taken a photo just to capture this sunset and keep it forever.

"But nothing lasts forever," Kuroko mumbled to himself quietly.

Spotting the door to the restaurant, his face broke into the slightest of smiles as he reached out to open it. A familiar chime was heard and the man behind the counter had to do a double take just to make sure that there really was someone there.

"Irasshai! Long time no see eh, Kuroko-san?" The man grinned cheekily at him. "Still as invisible as ever."

"I guess," Kuroko gave a soft chuckle, "Can I have my usual, Hiro-san?"

"I don't think I remember anymore, it's been so long since I last saw yer face 'round here," Hiro-san teased. "Nah, just kidding. Oi, Noriko! Kuroko-san's usual!"

A distant "Hai~!" was heard from the kitchen.

"Would ya like to sit at the bar or at a table?" Hiro-san asked.

"The bar, please," Kuroko said.

"Sure thing! Just pick a spot. Can I get ya a drink? Beer? Sake?"

Kuroko shook his head with a smile, "Just water for me please." He paused and considered it, "On second thought, can I have beer instead?"

"Comin' right up!" Hiro-san, obviously already knowing what kind of beer Kuroko preferred, pulled out a beer mug from the cupboard and poured a generous amount of the golden liquid into it. Plopping it right in front of Kuroko, careful not to spill, he pulled up a chair and sat in it to chat for a bit.

"So what brings ya in today?"

"Nothing. Can't a man enjoy himself once in a while?"

"Kuroko-san," Hiro-san said seriously, "if ya don' mind me bein' blunt, the last time I saw ya here was the day after—"

"Let's not mention that," Kuroko's smile faltered.

"... Alright, if that's what ya want. I won' pry. But if there's anythin' wrong y'know I'm available."

"Thanks, Hiro-san, I appreciate it," and Kuroko truly did. His order came and he clapped his hands together, giving a curt bow while whispering "Ittadakimasu," before he separated the conjoined chopsticks and dove into the food.

* * *

The walk back to the pre-school was calm and quiet. The moon was shining above him as he slowly made his way along the near empty street. With his leftovers in one hand, his other hand hid itself in his coat pocket, searching in vain for some warmth. Kuroko regretted not wearing gloves.

When he was finally seated on his desk again, he grabbed his pen and began "grading" the drawings with smiley faces and small encouraging comments. By the time he was done with every single one, carefully choosing his words in each note he wrote, it was already very late at night. It had been time for Kuroko to head back to his apartment and sleep.

Upon reaching his bed, he thanked the gods for it being the weekend before finally falling asleep.

* * *

_Hot. So damn hot. Kuroko didn't know if it was the room that was melting, or if it was just him, all he knew was that it was stifling, but it wasn't an unwelcome feeling. His body was slick with sweat as he moaned and writhed underneath a firm, well-sculpted body._

_The man on top of him was panting too. His warm breath was soft against Kuroko's ear as he whispered his name lovingly. _

_"Sei..." Kuroko ran his hand through fiery red locks, not knowing that it would be the last time that he would feel them_.

_"I love you," a velvety baritone voice said between pants, "So much. No matter what, don't forget that." _**  
**

_"What?" Kuroko paused and then laughed, "How can I forget that? You're always reminding me. What a silly thing to say."_

_"Please," the red head stopped his movements too and practically begged," Promise me."_

_"Sei..."_

_"Tetsuya, promise me," he said in all seriousness._

_"I'll," Kuroko sighed, "never forget. I promise. I love you too. Don't forget _that_."_

_He chuckled, "Ah. I won't."_

_Everything blacked out and all Kuroko can remember is falling asleep soon afterward and waking up with the space next to him empty and cold. _

_"Sei?" He mumbled, sleepily rubbing his eyes. Getting up, he slipped on bedroom slippers and padded his way out of the room._

_"Sei?" Kuroko went to the kitchen, "Sei-kun?"  
_

_Kuroko went back to the bedroom and saw something he hadn't noticed earlier, "Sei-kun's handwriting..."_

_Picking up the slip of paper, his eyes scanned the page before his grip tightened around it and tears stung the back of his eyes once he understood what the note had meant._

_There had only been one word written in the familiar, neat handwriting: 'Sorry,' it read._

* * *

_It's been a while since I've had that dream in particular. _Kuroko always dreamed about him in some way shape or form. But that dream always pained him the most. It had been so vivid. The emotions seemed so real, as though it only happened yesterday when in fact it had already been months. Without so much as an explanation, he was gone from Kuroko's sight.

_I miss you. You know that? I hope you miss me too_. Kuroko could only hope. And that was why it hurt so much.

It barely registered to Kuroko that his cellphone was ringing. His hand subconsciously reached out to it, thumb swiping the screen to answer it, "Hello?"

"Ah, hey," a warm voice came through the speaker.

"Hey," Kuroko closed his eyes and let the voice wash a distinct calm over him. His voice always had this effect on Kuroko.

"How are you?"

"... Good."

"Tetsu..."

"I'm fine Ogiwara-kun, really."

"... Did you have another dream about him?"

It took Kuroko a while to answer. "... Yes."

"When... when are you going to accept it, Tetsu?"

"Accept what?"

"That he's not—"

"No!" Kuroko all but yelled. Ogiwara, on the other side of the line, was shocked into a brief moment of silence.

"Sorry."

"N-no," Kuroko sighed, "I'm sorry. For snapping at you. I shouldn't have done so. I apologize."

"Tetsu, I just want you to be happy. You have to move on. He... Akashi left. And you don't know if he's coming back. You have to assume that he isn't."

"Why?" Kuroko snapped yet again. Silence followed.

"... I'm sorry again. Ogiwara-kun, I'm hanging up now. I don't feel like talking about this."

"Ah," the voice that answered was tired and weary and exasperated, "Sure thing. Just remember Tetsu, I'm always here for you."

"Thanks," Kuroko pressed the end button and practically threw the phone on his bed.

* * *

The teal headed young man watched the clouds drift through the sky as he sipped on a cup of coffee. _What am I doing to myself? He's gone. I know that. He's never coming back._

_... I don't know that. _And that was what had kept him going. The uncertainty. The off-chance that Akashi would come back for him. _As long as t__he chances of him coming back isn't zero I won't give up. I have to believe in him. _

For so long, that was what Kuroko had told himself. Every one of Kuroko's friends knew that he was hurting. They could not explain it to Kuroko either. Akashi left without a trace, not even the people closest to him, other than Kuroko, even had an idea as to where he could possibly be. The man was elusive like a cloud of smoke.

Kuroko's thoughts were snapped by the sound of his doorbell ringing. _Who?..._

Opening the door, a bright smile greeted him, but the lines at the edges of his eyes showed signs of aging and stress. Kuroko had always been calmed by his presence. It was reassuring. But without Akashi, nothing seemed to be the same anymore.

"Ah, Aomine-kun," Kuroko sounded more tired than he thought.

"Yo! Tetsu," the navy blue headed man waved with a cheeky grin, "Bakagami and I are gonna play ball in a few hours, wanna come? Loser treats everyone to Maji Burger."

Kuroko only stared. Aomine's cheeky grin faltered. That had been the first time he'd asked to play basketball with the phantom player since the incident of Akashi's disappearance.

"I-if you don't want to it's cool with me. Bakagami might be upset though, he hasn't seen you in a while," Aomine tugged at his collar awkwardly.

"You should really start calling your lover by his given name," was Kuroko's response.

A bright red blush dusted the tanned man's cheeks as he sputtered his reply, "W-what, l-l-l-lover? Me and that dumbass? You must be mistaken—"

"How cute," Kuroko noted the blush despite the young man's dark complexion.

"Shut up!" Aomine nearly fumed, "You comin' or what?"

"It's alright—"

The navy blue haired man sighed, "Let me rephrase this, Tetsu, I'm taking you out to play ball with me and the moron, and you're coming with me no matter what."

"But—"

"That's final."

"Aomine-kun," Kuroko tried to argue but the taller and admittedly stronger man had already been tugging at his wrist to drag him out of the house.

"Fine," the teal head conceded defeat, "At least let me change first." Aomine's face split into a huge grin.

* * *

Playing basketball again with his two ex-Lights had been one of the most nostalgic experiences Kuroko had ever had. They were the same as always, showy, ostentatious, and incredibly athletic. Kuroko could barely keep up. Not that he had kept up much in the first place, but age and lack of physical exertion slowed him down even more.

Kuroko was already sweating buckets and they had only been playing for about twenty minutes.

"Ugh," he groaned as he wiped off sweat from his brow, "I can't do this anymore. I'm too out of shape."

"Aww, c'mon Kuroko, man up!" Kagami grinned at him.

"Yeah, Bakagami is right! You need to suck it up. And loosen up a bit, your movements are too stiff!" Aomine chirped.

"Shut up. It's not my fault that the most physical activity I get to do in my job is chasing after five-year-olds."

"Well you were the one who chose to be a pre-school teacher," Kagami shrugged, "Anyway, pick up the pace, we've barely started."

"We've been playing for twenty minutes," Kuroko grumbled.

"C'mon, don't be weak Tetsu!"

"If I exert myself more than this I might seriously pass out," Kuroko's tone was dead serious. That made his two ex-Lights pause their attempt at restarting the game and both of them exchanged worried glances.

"If you're getting too dizzy just sit down and drink some water or something," Aomine started walking toward the smallest one of the group.

"Yeah, here I'll get a towel from my bag so you can dry up."

Kuroko chuckled at his friends' antics. _Just like mothers_. "I was joking. I'm not that pathetic. Nice to see that some things don't change. You both still act like mothers."

Upon hearing the melodic sound of Kuroko's laugh, Aomine and Kagami shared worried looks again. But when Kuroko smiled and reassured them that it was all right, they heaved a sigh of relief.

"It's been a while since I've seen you laugh, Tetsu," Aomine said quietly.

"... Yeah. I guess," Kuroko looked at the ground.

"Kuroko..." Kagami frowned, "You were just smiling a few seconds ago. Don't make a long face again. It's disturbing. I haven't seen you in forever, you should at least be happy to see me."

Kuroko looked up and smiled at the two of them sadly, "Of course I'm happy to see you, Kagami-kun. Both of you. You're two of my best friends. But it's hard, y'know?... Well, no. You wouldn't know. You two are together. _Still _together..."

"Tetsu..."

"... I don't even know where he is!" Kuroko half-whispered, half-yelled and turned his gaze to the ground once again.

"Kuroko—" Kagami was cut off.

"This isn't the reason why I asked you to come play with us today. I just wanted you to have fun and cheer up a bit. I didn't mean for you to feel—"

"I'm sorry," the teal head's face was hidden by his bangs.

"Why are you apologizing?" Kagami scrunched his brows together.

"Because I'm being petty. Sorry. I know that I should move on. I know that I should cheer up. But it's hard!" Kuroko brought his hand up to wipe away the tears that started to fall, "It's so hard to forget about him. I can still feel him on my skin, I can still smell his scent on the bed, I can still hear his voice in my sleep, I can still see his face when I close my eyes. Even though he's gone he's still everywhere."

At this point, Kuroko had been yelling. "It hurts so much! Every day feels like it's ripping me apart and what's worse is I don't even know why he left!"

Both his ex-Lights were at a loss for words.

"Why? Why do I love him so much?" Kuroko's knees gave out beneath him and he sunk to the ground, trembling and sobbing.

"I want to move on. I swear. I even try to forget about him but he's constantly on my mind. Even when I will myself to stop thinking about him I only remember him more. It hurts. It hurts."

Aomine was the first one to move from his spot. He knelt down to Kuroko's level and roughly brought the smaller male to his chest. Kagami followed suit and patted the teal haired man's head as Kuroko cried into Aomine's shirt.

"It hurts," his muffled yet still quite obviously pained voice broke Aomine's and Kagami's hearts. They remained in that position until Kuroko cried himself to sleep in their arms.

* * *

When Kuroko woke up, he was back in his apartment lying on his bed. He stared at the ceiling and clutched his throbbing head. He was sure that his eyes were swollen. His body felt like lead and he was sore all over. There was no sound in his apartment other than the quiet hum of the refrigerator. _How long have I been asleep?_

The sun poked its rays through Kuroko's blinds and confirmed that it was already morning. What forced him out of bed was the sound of his doorbell ringing. Groggily, he got up and dragged himself to the door to open it.

"Ogiwara-kun?"

"Yo."

"... Hey."

"Well, aren't you gonna welcome me in?"

"Ah, right. Sorry," Kuroko stepped back to let his friend inside, "Welcome. I wasn't expecting company so everything is kind of messy."

"Cut the bullshit, Tetsu," Ogiwara said, "Your eyes are swollen."

Ogiwara lifted his hand to graze his fingers against Kuroko's face. The teal head cringed back at the touch.

"What do you want?" Kuroko snapped. He was in no mood for this.

"I'm worried about you. All of your friends are worried about you. Aomine was the one who told me about what happened yesterday. He asked me to talk to you, in person. I don't know what good I'll do but he said something about me knowing you the longest."

"What do you want?" Kuroko repeated his question.

"I want you to tell me what's wrong."

"You know very well what's wrong," Kuroko narrowed his eyes at the taller male, "The love of my life left me without so much a good-bye, after I was lulled into a delusion that we'd be together forever. I'm being a petty human being, and I'm so frustrated with myself but I can't do anything about it because no matter what I do, I can't seem to move on!"

"Go ahead, vent, Tetsu."

"I have nothing else to vent out, Ogiwara-kun. I'm tired. I'm tired of this bullshit that the asshole that I'm still madly in love with left me in. I don't want to be pathetic anymore. I don't want to keep living like this, sad and bitter, for the rest of my goddamned life! I—mmph" Kuroko's eyes widened when he was cut off by a pair of lips.

Tears squeezed out the edges of Kuroko's eyes as he closed them tight and melted into the kiss. When Ogiwara pulled away, Kuroko opened his eyes to stare up at the taller man with a confused gaze.

"Why?" Kuroko sounded frustrated.

"I love you."

"...This is kind of a bad time to confess your love to me."

"I'm aware. But I figured it's now or never. I've waited long enough to say this... They say the best way to heal a broken heart is to start a new love."

"Forcing your way through isn't how it's supposed to go," Kuroko felt so confused.

"I tried to ease my way through. I was the only one that constantly called you to check on you since the bastard left. I was the only one, Tetsu. But you kept shutting me out. And now I've had enough. Yesterday was the last straw. I don't want you to be sad anymore. I don't want you to break down anymore. I want to fix you. I want to be your pillar of support. I want to love you."

"... I can't. I can't make you his replacement. I... can't do that to you."

"I don't care!"

"Ogiwara-kun."

"Please Tetsu. I love you so much it hurts. I want to be the one that saves you from this hell."

* * *

A few months afterward, there had still been no word about Akashi. It was as if he never even existed. Ogiwara had pummeled his way through and tried his best to erase the traces of the red head and take his place in Kuroko's heart.

Kuroko slowly budged. His broken heart was steadily healing as Ogiwara invaded it with his presence. But Akashi's mark was difficult to overshadow. Eventually though, Kuroko stopped having dreams about the red head. He stopped thinking about how he missed him every waking minute. He started to become preoccupied with Ogiwara and his infectiously cheerful personality.

Eventually, Kuroko started to forget Akashi and he began to accept Ogiwara. However fate chose this moment to destroy Kuroko's quasi-happiness.

Walking down the street to his favorite restaurant, Kuroko thought his eyes were messing with him when he caught a glimpse of the fiery red hair he tried so hard to erase from his memory entering the restaurant. Subconsciously his legs moved faster. He practically slammed the door open to the restaurant, his ears drowned out the sound of Hiro-san's "Irasshai!"

His eyes scanned the bar and zeroed in on the red head sitting on the stool sipping calmly at a cup of hot tea.

It was February. And the cold winter day matched the cold emptiness that Kuroko felt in his head. His brain seemed to stop all functionality for the moment. And until Akashi lifted his head to meet Kuroko's gaze, the teal head couldn't seem to process anything that had been going on.

"Tetsuya," Akashi smiled at him.

Kuroko felt hot and painful tears sting the back of his eyes as anger rushed through his body. Striding toward the seated man, he grabbed his collar and brought his fist back as if he was about to slug the man in the face. But his arm stopped in mid-air and it slipped back down to his side. His fingers let go of the collar and he looked wearily into hetero-chromatic eyes, searching, confirming that it really was him.

"Just when I thought I was finally ready to move on. Why? Why did you come back?" at this point Kuroko's tears were streaming from his face.

"..."

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

When Akashi didn't answer, Kuroko grabbed both of his shoulders and shook him, "Please. Say something."

The teal haired man slumped forward and leaned his head against the red head's chest. His fist beat against the red head's torso weakly as he cried, "Sei-kun, say something. Please. Anything."

"I missed you, Tetsuya."

"Don't give me that bullshit! You were gone. For almost a year now. You left me! Why?"

"Let's not talk here," Akashi lifted Kuroko's head. Turning to the man on the counter, who had watched, speechless, as the whole thing transpired, Akashi slapped money on the table.

"I'd appreciate it if word doesn't get out so soon," Akashi was facing Hiro-san but the other customers knew that the man was speaking to every witness in the restaurant. Grabbing Kuroko's hand, he pulled him outside so that they could speak privately.

* * *

Akashi pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped Kuroko's face gently. They had walked to a nearby park and sat on the bench with a very obvious distance wedged between them. The snow fell around them slowly but steadily.

"I was very unfair to you."

Kuroko fixed his eyes on the snow-covered ground, refusing to meet the other's gaze.

"And for that I am very sorry. You might not be able to forgive me, and I understand that. I'm not asking you to take me back, I just want you to at least know why I left."

"Please... explain. You don't know how horrible it was to not know."

"I'm so sorry that I hurt you, Tetsuya. I thought that hurting you was the very last thing I'd ever do, but I guess I failed at that. I have caused you so much pain that I deserve to be punished."

"I don't care about that right now, Sei. Explain. I want to know. Everything."

"... Alright," Akashi sighed, "Have I ever told you that I was the heir to a very large corporation?"

Kuroko shook his head, "I... kinda figured you were the heir of something. We never really talked about it."

"My father is the owner and CEO of the Akashi Corporation. It's a conglomeration of different businesses and basically he handles them all. I've been trained since I was young to succeed him, so he dictated practically every choice I've ever had in my life. Except a few things.

"In retrospect, most of those decisions involved you in some way. Basketball was a huge one. And I met you through that. And which college I attended was very much influenced by you. And of course, loving you was my own choice.

"My father actually didn't know much about my personal choices other than the fact that I played basketball. He never really acknowledged it as something valuable. But he let me have it. He let me have at least one thing that he didn't _tell_ me to have.

"Only recently did he actually look into my personal choices, and that was how he found out about you. He knew that I was in a relationship with someone, but he was complacent with the thought that I would break off the relationship if he told me to. He wasn't going to interfere until it was time for me to inherit the company. But that was before he knew that the person I was dating was a male."

Kuroko's eyes widened, seeing where Akashi's explanation was going.

"He told me to break up with you. Naturally, I said I wouldn't. And I wasn't going to. I can't lose you. I... love you too much. But my father would not be defied. He gave me a choice. I would either leave you and remain his heir, or stay with you and be disowned.

"I told him that I'd rather be disowned."

Kuroko looked up at the red head in confusion. "But... why would you do that?"

"I couldn't leave you, Tetsuya. So... like he always does, he changed the terms and made the choice one-sided and favorable to him. He told me that if I didn't leave you immediately, he would make sure that he would ruin your life. Financially, emotionally, everything. And I couldn't bare the thought of you being miserable for the rest of your life because of me.

"I'd much rather have you move on from me and live happily ever after with a different person than be miserable and stuck with me. So, after that night with you, I left. And after a while I decided to come back and explain things to you... well, now we're here."

Kuroko clenched his fist and tried to speak slowly so that his anger would calm down, "I... Thank you, for finally telling me."

"I should have explained everything earlier. But I was scared. I was scared that if I told you, I wouldn't be able to leave you. So I had to go with out saying good bye."

"... It's alright. What's done is done."

They said nothing for awhile, watching the snow fall in silence. What is there to be said?

"... So, what now?" Kuroko asked, breaking the silence.

"I..." Akashi looked up at the pitch black sky, "Don't know." For once, Akashi was clueless.

"You came back just to tell me what you just told me, right? Will you just leave again? Or..."

"Do you want me to leave again?" Akashi stared directly into Kuroko's eyes.

"... That's an unfair question. Of course I don't want you to leave again. But that would complicate things."

"... I see. Ogiwara Shigehiro, does he make you happy?"

Kuroko didn't know how Akashi knew about Ogiwara but he decided not to question it and just turned his face away from the red head.

"He saved me. I would have fallen into a very deep cycle of depression if it hadn't been for him. He taught me to see the bright side of things, even when I believed that everything around me was pitch darkness without you in my life. He made my heart open up, after I decided to close it off when you left.

"He filled the hole in my chest that you ripped out."

Akashi chose not to respond.

"But... it's not the same. What I feel for him and, goddammit, what I _still _feel for you is not the same. I don't think it will ever be. You were the first, and I thought you were going to be the last. You were my everything. Ogiwara-kun is amazing, and yes, I do love him, but... not like how I love you. I won't ever love anyone else like how I love you, Sei-kun.

"But, even with all that said, I can't just leave him. I can't just throw away his emotions and return to you. I... It feels wrong. Like I had just used him to pacify my emotional needs until you came back."

"I understand. Then as I thought, this is the better choice, then. You stay with him, Tetsuya. I'm not going to take you back. Your life would be much better if you had just forgotten all about me. Don't love me anymore."

"Easier said than done, Sei-kun."

"Yes. I'm aware. I still love you too," Akashi reached up to ruffle Kuroko's hair gently.

"... That's really unfair!" Kuroko was crying again.

"I know. I'm sorry. If the situation was different, I'd gladly disobey my father and run away with you. But I can't let him destroy your life. And who knows whatever else he's capable of. He might hurt your family too."

"Your dad is such an asshole!" Kuroko wiped his tears with the back of his hand.

Akashi chuckled and cupped Kuroko's face, "I know. When he's gone, perhaps we could be together. But it wouldn't be fair to tell you to wait for when that time comes. I'm letting you have closure, Tetsuya. I was being selfish when I asked for you to never forget me, but now... Please, I'm begging you. Forget about me. Forget about us. Focus on what you have with Ogiwara and try to be happy."

"I can't ever be truly happy with him because he's not you. And he never will be enough to replace you... I can wait—"

"Don't even say it. Think about it, Tetsuya. You just said that it wouldn't be fair to Ogiwara if you just threw away his love and came back to me. Even if you wait it would be the same thing, you would still throw away everything he gave you just to come to me at the right time. We... can't be together. I'm not going to risk it."

"You're so unfair, Sei-kun!"

"I'm sorry," Akashi stood up and placed a kiss on Kuroko's forehead one last time, "Good bye. Forever. Be as happy as you can possibly be."

Kuroko was frozen in his spot, clutching the fabric of his coat and trying to keep himself from sobbing hysterically. Akashi walked away with one tear managing to slip out one of his eyes. He clenched his fists tight to keep himself from running back and taking Kuroko into his arms.

That was it. It was over. But neither of them were satisfied.

* * *

Many years passed and Kuroko found himself walking down a cherry blossom covered path to the pre-school with his bag slung over one shoulder. He passed by the restaurant and greeted the owner who had been opening up for the day.

"Good morning, Hiro-san."

"Good morning to ya as well! Am I gonna see ya for lunch today?"

"No, I'm eating with Shige today," Kuroko smiled, "Maybe tomorrow?"

"Sure thing, have a good one!"

"You too, Hiro-san!"

Looking up at the falling sakura petals, he closed his eyes and relished the feel of the warm sun and the cool spring breeze. The sakura smelled wonderful and it reminded Kuroko of the many springs he had spent with a certain someone. He tried to forget, but it was impossible. So he decided to just accept.

Kuroko Tetsuya did not love Ogiwara Shigehiro like he loved—still loves—Akashi Seijuurou. But they weren't meant to be in this life. Fate split them up, and there was nothing else to be done.

* * *

**A/N 2: **Omg. That was just pure angst. What the hell did I just write? I need some sort of good ending. Gah! Alright. An Omake.

* * *

Many years into the future, a man with teal colored hair and deep purple eyes walked down the street holding onto his bag of groceries. The store had almost run out of eggs but he was lucky he got there before the sale started. Old ladies and their shopping coupons can be very violent and aggressive.

Accidentally, he bumped into a slightly taller man with bright red hair and amber colored eyes and had his groceries scattered on the ground.

"Ah, I'm so very sorry," the red head's voice was as smooth as silk and oddly familiar, "your eggs got destroyed."

"Ah," the teal head looked in despair at the shattered egg carton, "It would be like entering a war zone if I went back now," he said to himself.

"Excuse me, if you don't mind I can pay for this. I sincerely apologize for bumping into you, I wasn't paying atten..." the red head trailed off when he finally lifted his eyes to actually look at the man he bumped into. The teal head stared back with equal intensity. When their hands accidentally brushed against each other, it felt like a jolt of electricity shocked the two of them.

"Do I...?" the red head began.

"... Know you?" the teal head finished the question.


End file.
